Opera Roanoke is preparing to bring one of opera’s most in-demand performers to the Jefferson Center on May 1st. Tenor Lawrence Brownlee has been seen and heard on stages across the globe and is known not only for the way he uses his voice on stage, but also how he uses it to advocate for racial justice and equity throughout the industry.
In his 21-22 season alone, Mr. Brownlee will be heard at the Paris National Opera, the Zurich Opera House, Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center, the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, among others. He recently joined the Juilliard School as a Distinguished Visiting Faculty Member and is serving as an Artistic Advisor at Opera Philadelphia.
As an advocate for racial justice in the music industry, Mr. Brownlee has curated many discussions with industry leaders on these important issues and acts as an advisor to several opera companies across the United States, championing new works and expanding opera audiences in the process.
At his concert in Roanoke on May 1st, Mr. Brownlee will present a work that he co-wrote in 2018 with composer Tyshawn Sorey and poet Terrance Hayes (both MacArthur Genius Grant winners), entitled Cycles of My Being. The focus of Cycles is to shine a spotlight on the black man’s experience in America today. Brownlee says of the work, “The idea started with the injustices we see on a daily basis. We’ve summed it up as being about ‘black male subjectivity’.” He goes on to say, “The goal is to foster mutual respect, understanding, and communication across races and generations. History unfolds in cycles, and with this work, we hope to balance the stark challenges of our present reality with a resolute resilience, and an unwavering hope for a better future.” Since its premiere in 2018 at Opera Philadelphia, Cycles of My Being has been performed at Carnegie Hall, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the Kennedy Center. Now, it’s coming to Roanoke.
In November 2021, Opera Roanoke received a highly competitive grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to present Cycles of My Being. “Being able to bring an artist of this caliber to the region is, in and of itself, a testament to how important the arts are to our community but to be presenting this specific work at this moment in our nation’s history is even more important,” said Brooke Tolley, Opera Roanoke’s General Director.
Cycles of My Being will be presented on Sunday, May 1st, 2022 at 2:30pm at the Jefferson Center in downtown Roanoke. More information can be found at operaroanoke.org or by calling 540-982-2742.